PC hardware and server giant Dell is making its second major storage acquisition in recent weeks, snapping up 3PAR and its virtualized storage array technology, which can pave the way for more extensive cloud-based storage environments.
The move comes on the heels of Dell’s purchase of Ocarina Networks, which focused on data deduplication and compression. Now, Dell gains a high-end, complement to its EqualLogic offerings, boasting new capabilities for dynamic tiering and thin provisioning aimed at cloud computing deployments. Enterprise Storage Forum takes a deeper look at 3PAR’s capabilities and how it ties into Dell’s existing customer offerings.
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) has inked a deal to acquire 3PAR, a maker of virtualized, multi-tenant storage arrays, for approximately $1.15 billion in cash.
3PAR’s InServ Storage Servers are comprised of a high-bandwidth, low-latency backplane that unifies cost-effective, modular, and upgradeable components into a highly available and autonomically load-balanced cluster. The InServ’s main claim to fame is its “Thin Built In” technology, which is based on 3PAR’s homegrown ASIC technology and provides hardware-based thin provisioning for just-in-time capacity provisioning.